Speak Now
by Texan Red Rose
Summary: Five years after the fall of Beacon and Blake's on an important mission, one that perhaps is a bit more personal than she's let on. [Monochrome, semi-canon, spoilers for S3 finale]


**Disclaimer** : A semi-canon story coming from me? I'm actually pretty surprised myself. Going to be jossed by S4 no doubt but might as well have fun while I can. Be warned: if you're not caught up, spoilers ahead. I've been in a bit of a slump, writing-wise, so this is a bit shorter than my usual ridiculousness. But rest assured, it's still ridiculous. And dialogue heavy.

* * *

Blake Belladonna was always highly attuned to the necessary balance of her life. Through her days with the White Fang, her time at Beacon and beyond, it always existed: aggression tempered by subtlety, handling things quietly versus asking for help, taking the hit herself or allowing one of her clones to do so. She wasn't always _good_ at it, mind, but she knew of it and tried, becoming better at managing that balance with every bump in the road, with every challenge triumphed, with every failure, and with every mistake. At twenty-two, it was now second nature to maintain the balance and achieve her desired end result, or as close as was possible. She was only a Faunus after all; some things were beyond her ability to control.

Not this mission, though.

Infiltrating the building was fairly easy. With a demure smile and a suitably fancy purple dress, bypassing the doormen posed hardly any challenge at all. She'd memorized the floor plan the week prior, tracing her way along the path she'd mentally marked while pretending to admire the various pieces of art hung on the walls, the decor, the architecture- pretty much anything that she could conceivably focus her attention on without rousing suspicion as she carefully made her way down the halls. A few people stopped her- mostly older men whose wives were chittering excitedly about their dresses or some such nonsense- and she quickly and convincingly offered insight on whatever she'd last looked at, thankful Ruby managed to dig up the necessary reference books in the weeks prior. How she'd come by them or why she even had them wasn't important to the Faunus; with every innocuous conversation, her unsuspecting interloper would totter off to refresh their champagne or hunt down an hors d'oeuvre, allowing her to slip further towards her ultimate goal.

In the years since the fall of Beacon Academy, Blake had found herself using many of the illicit skills she'd gained during her time with the White Fang. Mostly, it was to hunt down Adam and wreck the organization she'd spent part of her life building, hoping that whatever emerged from the ashes would be better than the mindless destruction her former partner wrought in the name of freedom. Occasionally, it was for far more mundane necessities, like stealing enough food to travel to the next clue or breaking in to a building for a secure place to rest. She wasn't exactly proud of the measures she was forced to take in the name of stopping him, but it was ultimately worth it. Adam was dealt with and the newly constituted White Fang was well aware that they, too, needed to achieve a balance, or risk another visit from her.

Ducking into a small alcove and pretending to be engrossed in her scroll, Blake waited as a very poorly disguised patrol passed through the hall. To the other guests, they probably didn't look out of place, but she'd spent far too many years hiding various parts of herself to miss their awkward postures concealing weapons beneath their jackets, their heavier gaits and bulky shoulders telling of the body armor beneath. Even if the party's host might want the world to believe he considered no threat capable of touching him or his guests, he certainly didn't expect for no one to _try_. Unless she missed her guess, the four men were only one of several groups mingling among the guests spread throughout the expansive estate, and likely not the last she would run into before her mission was complete. Not to mention the uniformed soldiers on the outskirts of the compound as a means of compromise for the means of security.

Taking a steadying breath, Blake continued on her path down the hall, discreetly checking around the next corner before proceeding.

The past five years were filled with more than just the need to stop Adam, though. Several times during her hunt, she'd considered giving up and running back to her friends- Yang, Ruby, and Weiss. They were the only reason she felt compelled to give chase, to keep them safe, but she hadn't bothered to _explain_ that to any of them before she slipped away into the night. How would she? Even now, the words 'my ex-partner who may have a massively creepy obsession with me is trying to kill you all because of me and I have to stop him' sounded a touch ridiculous, not to mention vaguely incriminating. She'd borne the weight of her guilt for long enough to be familiar with it but sometimes the sharp reminders stung as bad as ever.

The moment she'd neutralized the threat to her friends, the Faunus had returned to the decimated remains of Beacon Academy, in part to pay her respects to those lost that horrible day but also in an attempt to pick up her life where she'd left off, hoping things could be that easy. It wasn't, of course, but her time skulking around the remains of a city she'd grown to love reminded her of those she'd left behind. Her partner, her team leader, her... She'd gone in circles many times during those weeks, sorting through her feelings.

Ruby was the easiest. The young woman had an infectious excitement and a simple love of life that had always made even Blake's darkest memories lighten and fade. Even if their team was no longer intact, she could firmly count the bundle of energy as a friend, provided her unexplained departure was forgiven. Then again, Ruby never seemed the type to hold a grudge.

Yang, on the other hand- and she actually cringed at the phrase while slipping down yet another corridor- certainly could hold a grudge and was relentless enough to pursue the answers she sought, _endlessly_. The blonde possessed a carefree, easy going spirit, but Blake never harbored any doubt that she'd see the whole fiasco as a betrayal, even if it was done with the best of intentions. No explanation, not even waiting until her _partner_ was awake to say goodbye before vanishing, especially given her weakened state... it was hard imagining a reunion that didn't end with the Faunus receiving a well deserved black eye, at the very least.

Actually seeing Yang again, as they hunted Salem's agents across the kingdoms, brought with it a bittersweet relief. Sure, she was _pissed_ , but after a long-winded ass chewing and Blake's explanation, her partner seemed to accept her apology. It took months for things between them to return to normal- months of disbelief that they even _could_ , months of resentment being eroded by empathy- but they managed it. Looking at the mechanical prosthetic that now served as Yang's right hand no longer brought with it the crippling doubt that she would never make up for her mistake, just a shallow pang.

That just left the last member of their team unaccounted for and... also the hardest feelings to process. Her relationship with Weiss could be called 'tentative' at best just shortly before her departure. They'd started rocky, for obvious reasons, but even the Faunus could see that her supposed mortal enemy wasn't quite the bane of her people that she'd always been lead to believe. The proverbial Schnee armor- the ideals and attitude from her family that had shaped the heiress into the woman she pretended to be- slowly started cracking, showing the genuinely kind, loyal, compassionate person beneath. They were just reaching the point where they'd moved past their previous prejudices and were becoming true friends when the tournament started. When Yang was framed by Mercury and Emerald- and, wow, wasn't _that_ a fun little tidbit to discover- she leaned on Weiss for support while battling back the lingering, irrational fear that the blonde was just as malicious as Adam. The heiress had listened to her poorly worded explanation of her concerns and comforted her, supported her... and then everything went to hell.

She spent a lot of time in the courtyard, where they'd fought side-by-side and back-to-back, repelling White Fang and Grimm alike, trying to imagine how the heiress would feel upon seeing her again. Weiss had been very clear about what she thought the Faunus should do in the event something came up again, but she'd ignored that to try and spare them any further harm. Her foolishness, her _weakness_ had already cost Yang her arm; the price was already too steep. She didn't want any of them paying anything more on account of her.

"Hey, did you see that?"

Blake heard the words coming from behind her as she ducked down another hall, quickly assessing her options. At this point, she was close enough to her objective to warrant questioning if she was found out. Best to avoid a confrontation to maintain the element of surprise.

The second door on the right was a small room, likely a small closet of some sort. As quietly as she was able, Blake turned the knob and slipped inside, closing the door behind her swiftly. As the muffled sound of footsteps drew closer, she pressed back, finding herself almost engulfed by musty, old coats and jackets, apparently long forgotten. It wasn't much as far as hiding spots went but it had to do.

"There's no one down here."

"You're too high strung. Lay off the coffee, eh?"

"I _swear_ I saw someone."

The men continued grumbling to each other as they continued down the hall, the sounds of their argument fading while she waited. Breathing a sigh of relief, she gave it a few more minutes before chancing stepping out and continuing her mission.

It was there, shuffling among the ruins of a fallen city, that she was found by Ruby, with the remaining members of Team JNPR in tow, and was quickly pulled into an increasingly violent struggle to protect Remnant, to save it. Along the way they reconnected with scattered friends, faced familiar enemies, and trudged one step at a time closer to the truth. She'd thought ripping apart the White Fang to find Adam had honed her skills but it wasn't until they were wading through scores of Grimm commanded by increasingly insane puppets of Salem's power that she felt herself pushed nearly to her breaking point.

They weren't strong enough to face Salem directly, not yet.

That was _part_ of why she was here.

Blake finally came to the room she'd been looking for, sparing a glance down the hall to ensure the coast was clear before she tried the handle. Thankfully, it was unlocked, allowing her to slip inside and slide the lock home as soon as the door was shut. Just like every part of the mansion, the room was decked in fine art and ostentatious architecture, but she had no reason to pay any of it mind. Not when her target sat a mere twenty feet in front of her, hunched over and studying the vanity's marble counter top like it was a textbook.

"Weiss." The name slipped from her mouth on a soft sigh, relieved she'd found the young woman alone.

"Did it not occur to you that we have closed circuit surveillance _inside_ the mansion, too?" Her words were clipped, the same tone she'd always used whenever she felt someone wasn't studying hard enough before a big exam. "Had I not been watching the feeds, you would've been found out long before you hid in that old coat closet." She paused briefly. "Is anything even in there still? I haven't had anything put there since I was seven."

Well, she'd certainly hadn't expected a _warm_ response.

"Just some old coats," she said instead, daring to take a few steps away from the door.

"Why are you here, Blake?" The heiress straightened up but refused to fully acknowledge her. "I was very clear with Ruby about the nature of our arrangement."

Her ears nearly twitched beneath her bow. They'd talked, briefly, in the intervening years, using a limited range connection that was developed after the destruction of the CCT. Rarely anything personal, though; there was always another piece of intel to relay or a request for support, whatever the heiress could provide from her position. While she'd always delivered, the interactions always felt too cold, too business-like. She feared the young woman who was just beginning to shine all those years ago was stamped out by the overbearing presence of her father. "Am I not allowed to visit an old friend?"

"An old friend." The heiress gave a small chuckle though it lacked any trace of amusement. "Had you dropped by on any other day, I might believe that." She stood, her white dress flowing around her as she stepped away from the vanity and turned, heels clicking against the marble floors. "Seeing as its my wedding day, I'm inclined to think otherwise."

There was no denying that the pure white looked just as good on her as her old combat skirt outfits, though the hem went all the way to the floor. The bodice hugged her trim waist, glittering sequins tracing brilliant snowflake patterns across the fabric whimsically, and her bright ivory hair was piled high atop her head. Idly, it occurred to the Faunus that it was probably one of the few times she'd seen the woman's shoulders completely bare.

Any words she could've possibly conjured were lodged in her throat, requiring a great deal of force to voice them. "You... look amazing."

"Is that so?" There was a hint of amusement in those cold blue eyes as she turned left and right, showing off the design. "It took some effort to track down Coco to do the design. Worth it, in my opinion." She sighed, turning her back on the Faunus. "It's probably my favorite part of this whole spectacle."

"Was it your father's idea?" She left the question open-ended intentionally, eyes tracing the myriad of snowflakes that looped into each other on a sparkling breeze. Her keen eyes blinked in disbelief as a secondary pattern emerged, drawing her closer. "Wait, is... that..." She reached out, barely refraining from touching the expensive fabric as she hovered her finger over the rose pattern. "Ruby's emblem."

"We may not fight together anymore... but she's always had my back. I'll always have hers." Weiss sighed, turning her head to speak over her shoulder. "If she's concerned that will change, it won't. I'll still retain my position in the SDC; my assets will still be available to all of you."

"This isn't about assets, Weiss." On the woman's next inhalation, Blake's eyes caught the edge of another pattern, carefully hidden to anyone unaware to look for it. Along her right ribcage was Yang's flaming heart, positioned just high enough to be above her elbow. "Yang."

That brought another small chuckle from the heiress. "Winter asks after her whenever we talk. Smuggling the necessary equipment for her prosthetic out of a military facility was probably the most fun she's had in the past six years, even if it cost her her commission. I think she especially enjoys lording it over Qrow."

"Both sisters think that part is hilarious." She absently noted, stepping around so they could be face-to-face once more. Now that she knew what she was looking for, it took no time at all for her to find her own sigil among the snowflakes, sewn at the top of her left breast. "... Me."

"Of course." Silence stretched for only a moment before Weiss spoke. "Why are you here, Blake?"

"Do you love him?" There was a little heat in her voice, anger directed not at the heiress but the circumstances. It took conscious effort to redirect her argument; Weiss wasn't likely to respond well to an accusation. "Every kingdom has struggled since Vale was evacuated. Mistral turned to anarchy after Haven collapsed, Vacuo slid into radical xenophobia, and what remains of Atlas is embroiled in a civil war that turned bloody three months ago." The timing was suspect, the announcement was suspect- the whole situation was screaming that something wasn't right. Hearing the news sent a shock through her, an immediate sensation that awful things were happening that she needed to stop. "I just find it a little _odd_ that the two most powerful factions seem to have their poster children getting married out of the blue."

The heiress scoffed, moving away from her and heading back towards the vanity. "I think you underestimate the Freedom Fighters. They've certainly been a thorn in the sides of the SDC _and_ the Atlesian Military and neither group is strong enough to launch an effective counter strike against them."

The Freedom Fighters. Blake resisted the urge to roll her eyes. They were one of the many splinter groups to emerge from the wreckage of the White Fang, mostly comprised of the most vicious of their number who refused to change. However, the majority were stubborn and stupid, throwing themselves into suicide missions and expecting to return. What remained after the first six months was a shell of the former operation but had learned from those mistakes; they now focused on damaging supply lines and harassing the defenses of anyone in Atlas not willing to bow to their demands.

"I know their tactics and I could probably find them myself. Call off the wedding and give me two weeks."

"That would only fix a portion of the problem, Blake." Weiss grabbed the garters- and didn't that just make her a little sick, a frown tugging at her lips as the heiress touched them- before heading towards the privacy screen on the far side of the room. "When Mantle went defunct years ago, the financial might of the SDC and the structured order of the Atlesian Military kept the kingdom from falling into chaos. Our Academy was the only neutral ground. Once Ironwood was stripped of his rank, things changed. The new Commander..."

"Is a bitch?" The Faunus stalked towards the privacy screen, not daring to walk around it but neither willing to simply stand on the other side of the room. Hopefully proximity would make her case stronger, or at least set her nerves at ease.

"That's putting it lightly; she's... not the most pleasant person to be around." The disdain dripping from the heiress' voice essentially cemented her dislike for the woman. "I'm certain she's another of Salem's agents. I just need the proof-"

"This isn't the way to get it!" She quickly objected, half tempted to stamp her foot in annoyance. "Ruby, Yang, and I will get to her, just like the others-"

"Ah, so that's what it is. Wouldn't want me stealing your thunder, hmmm?"

" _No_ , Weiss, I just refuse to watch you compromise yourself for the sake of this!" Her voice was rising and she quickly shook herself, glancing at the door. "If you don't love him-"

"And what if I do?"

That single question cut through the Faunus more effectively than any bullet or blade and hurt more than Adam's piercing her gut. It was something Ruby had brought up, and Yang, but she'd refused to believe them. It wasn't stubbornness or denial; she _knew_ it wasn't true.

"I don't believe you."

"... ex _cuse_ you?"

"You're lying." She paced in front of the privacy screen, recalling the little details that solidified her disbelief. "We're tapped into your network, remember? I saw _all_ the overblown press coverage."

"And?"

"He doesn't know how you like your coffee." Blake crossed her arms over her chest, frowning severely. Her fingernails threatened to break skin as they dug into her upper arms but she couldn't hardly be motivated to care. "Two splashes of cream, three packets of sugar- and you used to drink it black- but he proposed to you with a _latte_ , Weiss."

"I'm surprised you remember."

"Of course I do." Her shoulders fell slightly, a niggling regret rearing its head and demanding her attention. If this was her only chance, she may as well take it. "I... don't think I ever really apologized to you for leaving, by the way."

"It's not necessary-"

"It is." The Faunus looked around the room again, suddenly realizing that it was entirely soulless, just like the rest of the mansion. She couldn't imagine growing up here, surrounded by a cold facade. It was no wonder why the heiress had difficulty adjusting to life at Beacon, at first. "I'm sorry, Weiss. For leaving without saying goodbye, for never explaining myself-"

"Ruby told me-"

" _I_ need to tell you." She insisted, turning towards the vanity. Every item spread across the counter top seemed stereotypical- what one would expect the heiress to own, if they didn't know her. Except for the enlarged scroll displaying various camera feeds around the estate, few seemed to truly fit her character. "Adam... was my biggest mistake and _my_ demon to conquer... but it was more than that." Her hand landed on a gaudy golden hairbrush, lips curling in annoyance. "He wanted to hurt me as much as he could, and he knew attacking my friends would do that. He's the reason Yang lost her arm... for the longest time, I believed it was _my_ fault."

"Yang talked you out of that ridiculousness, did she not?"

Blake ignored that contribution to the conversation. "I couldn't risk any of you suffering more because of me. So I left, to deal with him myself." Anticipating the next words from Weiss' mouth, she quickly added: "Against what I'd promised, I thought I should handle it alone."

"Which you did." The rustling of fabric caught her ears and she willfully ignored the implications.

"Yes." Sighing, the Faunus refocused her attention on the privacy screen. "After that, I tried to find all of you. At the very least, to take my lumps. I'm sorry that I broke my promise, Weiss, but I did it to _protect_ you."

"Very well. Apology accepted. Now, if that was all you came to get off your chest-"

"No." She shook head, more for her own benefit. "No, I'm not leaving here, I'm not letting you marry that- that- that _opportunist_ for the sake of avoiding a fight when we know how to deal with it directly. You don't have to make this sacrifice."

"Don't I? Blake, there's more at stake than just the civil war. Another kingdom is on the verge of collapse, and we know that Salem's end game involves bringing all four kingdoms down. This offers a chance to stabilize things here. I can't ignore that."

"There has to be a better way than- than selling yourself!"

"This is _my_ decision-"

"It's the _wrong_ decision-"

"What do you propose I do, then? Walk out and announce I've changed my mind?"

"Come with me." She picked up her pacing again. "We know our target, we know how strong she is, and we know how to weaken her. There are still two Maidens to find, two that we can protect and maybe tip the balance in our favor. _Salem_ is the one sowing the discontent, so stopping her will prevent more bloodshed than making a deal with the devil."

"Aegean is _hardly_ a devil."

The Faunus growled at hearing the groom's name. "He is from where I'm standing."

"Whatever- it doesn't change the facts. I'm..." Weiss sighed, disappointment creeping into her tone. "I'm not as strong as I used to be, Blake. I haven't had much time for combat training; I'll be of no use if I abandon the SDC."

"It doesn't matter." She insisted, feeling the hope rising in her chest at the prospect of wearing the heiress down. "We will _make_ things work, even without the SDC resources."

"I'll be nothing more than a liability."

"I'll _protect_ you!" The words hung heavy in the air, silence stretching and making the air more and more tense with every passing moment. "Weiss, please-"

"Blake." There was more bite to her voice, like she was threading the line between rage and frustration, the heiress apparently unaffected by her argument thus far. "Why. Are. You. Here."

Blake shut her eyes tight as frustration tore through her. She'd come down to her last defense- the weakest one in her mind, the petty drive that sparked her objection to the whole concept from the very beginning. As much as she didn't want to admit it aloud yet, she did so. This wasn't the time to hold anything back.

"Because I can't stand the thought of you marrying him." The Faunus turned her back on the privacy screen, wrapping her arms around herself. This was something they shared- a fear of showing their vulnerability- but even this taboo she'd break if it ran the chance of convincing the heiress. The time for holding her cards close to her chest had passed. "Before everything went wrong, when we were sitting in the coffee shop and just talking, I felt... I felt something. Stronger than the trust I put in Yang, more powerful than anything I'd ever felt, something I couldn't name back then." She hissed, mentally chastising herself for the lie. "That's not true. I could, but I wouldn't. I thought... we'd have time to maybe..." She took a deep breath, trying to focus herself, trying to catch the thoughts rattling around in her head. "Some part of me _did_ love Adam. Leaving him was one of the hardest things I've ever done and I needed more time before I trusted my heart to someone else again. I thought we would have that, because I was starting to fall for you back then, but when everything fell apart, I couldn't stand the idea of you being hurt because of me. It hurt _so much_ seeing Yang unconscious, without her arm, that just imagining you like that... I've never been so scared. I ran because I refused to allow that chance, to potentially face that reality." She scrubbed at her eyes, forcing down tears as the fears of a possibility that was now beyond reach tried to take root again. "That's why I'm here, Weiss. I'm not going to stand by and let you do something you don't have to, _marry_ someone your heart doesn't want, without trying to stop you. If I... if you don't ever feel the same way about me, that's fine... but I love you too much to let you do this, Weiss. If I have to object during the ceremony, I will. You deserve better than than trading any part of yourself away, even if you thinks it's for a good cause." As much as it pained her to say those words, she felt relieved at the same time. How many nights had she wished she could've said them? At least as many times as she hoped to be able to explain herself one day and beg for forgiveness. Acknowledging that her feelings might never be returned was the most difficult but she didn't want there to be any doubt; whoever the heiress chose, she would have Blake's ful support. _If_ it was for the right reasons. "Nothing in this world is worth more to me than your happiness and your safety, Weiss, so don't do this for any reason other than yourself. You deserve so much better. _Please_ , don't do this."

She heard a sigh and the clacking of heels as the heiress came around the privacy screen behind her. "Blake Belladonna, you read the entire _Ninjas of Love_ series and _that_ was the best love confession you could come up with?"

Blake puffed out a laugh despite herself. "You wouldn't want any of the speeches from those books."

"Too sappy?"

"Insincere." Her lips twitched into a small grin. "Plus, he went that route, with flowery language and big promises, paraphrased from the second book I think... You hated every word of it."

"When have you ever known me to take well to commentary about my _height_? Really, the _nerve_!" She scoffed. "I doubt he even read them; probably just saw them on my bookshelf and flipped around until a passage sounded good. Truthfully, he's a decent man, but woefully incapable of faking emotion."

"Then you _know_ he doesn't care." She whirled around, reaching out to grab the heiress' shoulders. Had she gotten through? "You... can't..."

Her eyes traveled up and down Weiss' body, jaw falling open as she took in every detail. Gone was the wedding dress, replaced by a form fitting outfit like her old combat ensemble, with a few added touches: black lace binding the white corset tight to her frame and purple trim a shade between Yang's eyes and the eye shadow Blake still wore, and a flare of red at the cuffs of her modified bolero. If the gown was a subtle homage to her former teammates, this was far more blatant though no less pleasing a sight on her frame.

 _Wow_. The girl she'd known at Beacon had matured into a stunningly beautiful woman, that was something Blake had been more than aware of, but it still struck her dumb being confronted with it like this. Seeing shades of her teammates interwoven with the strong woman she'd become. Just _wow_.

Weiss smiled, eyes lighting up the longer the Faunus was struck speechless. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't come... well, quite frankly, I expected Ruby to come for me. She was quite clear about her distaste for the whole situation during our last communication. Imagine my surprise when it's your face I see on the cameras instead."

"You..." Slowly, her brain kicked back into gear, tearing her gaze away to meet the heiress' ice blue eyes as hope begin to kindle in her chest. "You weren't going to marry him, were you?"

"On the contrary, I was." The woman pulled away, heading towards the vanity. "Ruby and I talked at length about it; while I expected her to make a last ditch attempt to convince me otherwise, I was firmly convinced that the benefits outweighed the personal cost."

Blake's shoulders dropped, unsure exactly where she was going with this. What little hope had sparked inside her refused to be snuffed out as slim fingers began tapping away at the scroll. "But, you had an outfit ready to go."

"Not just an outfit." Shutting off the scroll, she collapsed it and slipped the device into her bolero, stepping over to the wall and sliding a panel to the side. She pulled a black duffel bag from within, slinging the strap over her shoulder. "It's not much, but the contents should at least bring us to the next step of taking down Salem. It's the best I can do." Checking the strap, Weiss nodded to herself. "I was being honest about my diminished skills. I'm afraid I'll be relying on you quite heavily once we make it out of here."

"You... wait, hold on- you were going to go through with the marriage if Ruby came, but because I'm here, things are different?" The was no keeping the surprised awe from her voice even as she tried her best to temper her hope. "Why?"

Weiss pressed her lips into a thin line briefly before ducking her head. "You'll think I'm ridiculous if I tell you."

"Try me." She took a step closer to the heiress, trying to catch the woman's eye. It didn't work but the blush blooming across pale cheeks was no less encouraging.

"You said you felt something, that night in the coffee shop before everything went to shit. I felt something, too... when we met." She took a deep breath, standing still despite being unable to meet the Faunus' gaze. "I knew nothing about you except that you were completely unimpressed with who I was, my family name sparking disdain instead of awe or fear. It was... refreshing, even if I couldn't express that at the time. Having someone challenge me... perhaps it was a bit juvenile, but I _liked_ arguing with you. Then, I pushed too far." A sigh escaped her lips as her eyes darted up to the ears atop Blake's head. "I thought I would never get a chance after that. I didn't deserve one."

"Weiss..." The Faunus took another step closer, halting her advance only because a hand was held up to stop her.

"Don't defend me. I was wrong. I realized at the docks that I couldn't keep carrying on like that; I cared more about you than whatever nonsense my father filled my head with growing up. I stopped taking his calls after that- stopped contacting him altogether, actually- and I promised myself I would make it up to you. Not that it would do me any good." She let out a self depreciating chuckle. "After the things I said and with Sun around... I didn't feel like I stood a chance. But I still tried. If I couldn't be anything more, at least I could be a friend and strong ally. Imagine my embarrassment when I came to on that train after being so thoroughly trounced. Maybe..." The heiress turned away, a frown on her lips. "If I'd been stronger-"

Blake reached out, lightly brushing her fingers against the woman's shoulders. To be perfectly frank, there was a niggling thought or two that said she should've tried that earlier, when the skin was bare, but she pushed those unhelpful commentaries aside. "I don't think we could've done any better than we did. Please, there's enough guilt between us as is."

"That's true enough." Weiss nodded, a small smile coming to her lips. "Anyway, to answer your question more directly... I always held out hope that you'd come back. When Ruby found you... I was so relieved, I don't think I stopped smiling for a week." The little bit of genuine happiness that had come to her voice dwindled. "Circumstances being what they were, however, I was more useful to all of you staying here, providing support, and I vowed to do whatever I could to assist. The marriage would bring enough of a truce between the SDC and the Military to buy you all some time, so I agreed." She motioned to the bag. "But hope is a stubborn thing- and that's quite a thing, coming from me- so I prepared for what I was almost certain wouldn't happen. You coming for me... because you love me." As she blinked, trying to clear the beginnings of joyful tears from her eyes, she continued with a joking lilt to her tone. "Although, I'd probably have left with you even if you didn't. I'd follow you to the ends of the planet, if you asked."

Ears perking beneath her bow, the Faunus quickly recognized the opportunity presented before her and jumped on it without hesitation. Five years of running from one blood soaked battlefield to the next brought with it a fairly constant goal but it didn't instill hope for the future, beyond the fighting. This, however, was completely different.

"Then let me ask this of you, Weiss Schnee." She gently took the heiress' left hand in both of hers and lowered herself to one knee, all the while staring up into those beautiful blue eyes. "I ask that you follow me out of here and to the end of this war. After that, walk beside me, so we can find out where our path together leads." The smile on her lips grew wider as she saw a myriad of emotions playing across the woman's face, all the wonderful sensations that were absent from that soulless, televised proposal. "In turn, I promise that I won't abandon you ever again. I shouldn't have left in the first place."

Weiss reached out and cupped her cheek with her free hand, two happy tears slipping from the corners of her eyes. "You shouldn't have but I choose to believe you mean it this time." She leaned down, softly connecting their lips for too brief a time before pulling away slightly. "Let's get out of here. I'd rather we get to the 'walking beside each other' bit sooner rather than later."

"No arguments here." The Faunus smirked, rising to her feet and turning towards the door. "Just stick close behind me and-"

"Oh, Blake, let's not make this any harder than it needs to be, shall we?" Reaching into the duffel, the woman pulled out a scroll with an odd little grey decal on the back. With a simple flick of her thumb and a tap, a series of distant explosions rocked the building, glass and metal tinkling as the chandelier overhead swayed. With a nonchalant shrug at the clear surprise evident in Blake's expression, Weiss started for the door. "While I haven't had the opportunity to maintain my combat skills, that doesn't mean I've been _entirely_ idle."

"You learned to make _bombs_?"

"That's one way of putting it. I prefer to think of it as creating distractions." Before the Faunus had a chance to respond, she held up a finger and waited patiently until the sound of tromping boots could be heard coming to a stop in front of the door.

"Miss Schnee!"

"Yes, yes, I'm quite alright." Weiss sounded every bit the slightly annoyed, unsurprised heiress as she spoke. "Another attack on the perimeter, correct?"

"Yes, ma'am."

With an exasperated sigh, she slid open a panel beside the door. "Initiating lockdown protocol."

A moment later, a heavy metal slate slid down from above, reinforcing the door while similar ones barred the two windows. Quietly, Weiss motioned for her to follow, the two heading behind the privacy screen where the corner of a rug was lifted to reveal a small hatch.

"I chose this room for a reason," she said, hitting a few more buttons on her scroll before stowing the device. Another round of explosions resounded from a different direction, bringing a small grin to her lips. "That should keep them distracted."

"Hopefully, our wedding won't be as exciting." The Faunus joked, holding the hatch open for Weiss to go first. "Though I think Yang would approve if it was."

"Yes, because if there's one thing I've missed in the past five years, it's those damned puns of hers." The heiress- or, well, probably soon to be ex-heiress rolled her eyes. "Send off with a _Yang_ indeed."

Blake chuckled as she followed the woman down the hidden escape route, ducking due to the low clearance. In her mind's eye, she tried to orient herself as best she could bereft of the floor plan but could only figure out that they were heading towards the front of the mansion. "Where does this let out?"

"My father's private car lot. There's one model in particular that's designated as his hasty escape vehicle; if we take that, no one will try to stop us."

A smirk curled her lips. "Great minds think alike."

The moment Ruby had remembered that little detail from some long forgotten conversation, the trio had incorporated it into Blake's escape once she had convinced their wayward teammate to rejoin them. Truthfully, this route was much quicker than what the Faunus originally planned, so she just hoped that the accelerated timing wouldn't throw the others off. However, the ease did leave her mind open to wandering.

"Hey, Weiss? May I ask why you returned to Atlas after Beacon fell?"

"I don't think this is really the proper time for this discussion but, if you must know, I had no other alternative." The woman paused briefly at a split in the route, gathering her bearing before proceeding. "After I helped move you and Yang to a more secure location, I went back out to find more survivors. I was weak, but better off than most. By the time I returned, you were gone and their uncle had taken the unconscious sisters back to Patch. The remaining members of team JNPR went with them for lack of a safe place to go. I was alone, so when my father showed up in his personal airship, I had no argument to stay and no one else to turn to, so I went with him."

Blake frowned, shoulders dropping slightly. It was a question she'd asked the others before; Juane, Nora, and Ren had assumed the heiress was already heading back to Atlas by the time Qrow collected his other unconscious niece. All she remembered was waking up further away from the Beacon campus than she was before passing out, taking one look at her partner's broken form, and being overcome with rage and a fierce desire to protect her teammates from further harm. She'd left without a second thought as to where Ruby and Weiss were.

"Hey." She snapped her gaze up as the woman came to a stop, a sliver of light from the trap door overhead falling across her pale features. "In the end, everything worked out. I think we talked about letting go of guilt already, right?"

A small grin was the best she could muster as she nodded. "Right."

"Excellent. Now, I'm afraid you'll have to go first just about..." another round of explosions went off "... now. That was the last of my tricks, so I hope you can carry the day."

"You've done the hard part for me." The Faunus acknowledged, doing her best to be as discreet as possible as she pushed up the trap door. As luck would have it, the exit was situated between two pure white vehicles adorned with the Schnee snowflake emblem with no sight of another person around. Quietly opening the hatch all the way, Blake slipped towards the main row of the garage, scanning for any potential threat. "Coast is clear."

As Weiss climbed out of the underground passage, amber eyes fell on the vehicle in question, which roared to life a moment later. "Blake!"

"Don't worry." A soft smile reassured the woman while she did her best not to be too smug as the designated getaway car pulled out into the open space, the passenger side front window rolling down to show a very familiar figure in a black suit and hat.

"Hey, pretty ladies. Need a lift?" Yang cheekily grinned, pulling her aviators down just enough for those lilac eyes to be seen.

" _Of course_ you get to drive. I shouldn't even be surprised." Weiss lightly complained, though the blonde seemed to anticipate such a reaction and shrugged.

"What can I say? Some people recognize skill."

"Let's just get in," Blake said, hurrying to open the back door for the soon-to-be ex-heiress. While it was no limo, the grey sedan was far more practical for what they had in mind, anyway. "Hit it, Yang."

"With pleasure." The engine echoed in the confined space as the vehicle lurched forward, tires squealing with the tight turn that set it on the path out of the garage. Sitting in the back, Blake watched through tinted windows as a seemingly endless wave of mechanized soldiers stormed across the front lawn interspersed with flesh-and-blood counterparts, all heading towards the faintly smoldering rear of the building.

True to Weiss' word, no one person tried to stop the sedan speeding its way away from the mansion, nor did anyone dare to follow even as they pulled out onto the road leading towards the front gate. It would automatically open once the vehicle was in range, so as long as it hadn't been damaged, they were as good as gone.

"So, how ya been, Ice Queen? Long time, no see."

"Have I not made it clear I intensely dislike that nickname?"

"Should I call you Snowflake instead?"

"Come on, Yang." The Faunus smoothly interrupted, despite her usual enjoyment of the two snipping at each other. It would just lead to a pun war that no one ever won. "Can we at least wait until we've linked up with the others before you start this again?"

"Aw, come on!" The blonde sighed, taking the turns as fast as she dared. The sedan definitely wasn't her beloved lost bike, unfortunately. "Fiiiiiiine. We should reach the lake in about an hour."

"In that case, Yang, please forgive me." Weiss leaned over and hovered her finger over a button. "But Blake and I have some... catching up to do."

With a raised brow, the brawled glanced at her rearview and snickered, waving a hand to dismiss her concerns. "Whatever. Just don't get anything on daddy's seats, yeah?"

Rolling her eyes- a motion the Faunus copied, though she'd expected such a remark from her partner- the woman hit the button, raising a partition that effectively granted the two a bit of privacy.

Feeling lighter than she had in years, Blake turned to look at her companion. "Did you want to talk about-"

"Oh, no, stop right there." Swiftly, the duffel bag was pushed to the floorboard as Weiss quickly got up and spun, straddling the Faunus' lap before she'd had a chance to object. "I said _nothing_ about talking."

Initially stunned, the surprise quickly melted into a devious little grin as she chuckled. This was more than she could've hoped for but she would be dead last in the line to complain about it. Even if their situation hadn't drastically improved, the moment she leaned forward and felt Weiss' soft lips on hers, the very concept that they might fail became preposterous. Salem could have the greatest, most powerful army of pawns to ever walk the land of Remnant; she had something better. She had the love of a good woman and the support of good friends.

Now, she had a new mission: end this damned war so they could go about rebuilding the kingdoms and shaping their lives through it together.

She pitied the idiots who stood in their way.

* * *

Author's Note: Believe it or not, this was inspired by Taylor Swift's _Speak Now_ song. Just with explosions. Because everything is better with explosions. Anyway, like I said, been in a bit of a slump recently. Trying to do some quick one shots to get back in the groove, but I can't say they're any good. *shrug* Hope you enjoyed this.


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